A generally used printer sets a print media by executing a printer driving program in a host computer after the media is inserted. With other printing conditions determined, data generated from the host computer is processed into print image data, which is then transmitted to the printer.
After receiving the print image data processed in the host computer in accordance with the print media set and the printing conditions, the printer processes them, and prints on the print media. This control operation will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, using host computer 2, a user executes a user-designated program, such as wordprocessor or graphic editor program. When the designated program is executed, the user manipulates the program through the use of visual output on a display monitor 2-2. After this, the user processes the finished data into print image data, and outputs it to a printer via parallel port. The print image data received from host computer 2 are fed to a control ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) 3-2 via a buffer IC of an inkjet printer controller 3.
The print image data applied to control ASIC 3-2 are processed in a microprocessor 3-5. Here, microprocessor 3-5 executes font data stored in ROM 3-3 after its temporal storage, and outputs a print control signal. The print control signal output is sent to an inkhead driving IC (integrated circuit) 3-7 and motor driving IC 3-9 via control ASIC 3-2. The motor driving IC 3-9 which received the print control signal produces a motor rotation control signal according to the print control signal. The motor rotation control signal produced is applied to driving motor 4-3 of an inkjet printer mechanism 4, which is controlled by the signal.
The driving motor 4-3 receiving the motor rotation control signal provides a rotation force for feeding the print media stored in a paper feeding device (not shown), and laterally reciprocating the inkhead 4-1 that sprays ink onto the print media 1 to form an image, in accordance with the width of print media 1.
The inkhead 4-1 that laterally reciprocates by the rotation force of driving motor 4-3 is controlled by inkhead driving IC 3-7 so that ink is sprayed to write an image on print media 1. Specifically, the inkhead driving IC 3-7 receiving the print control signal produced from microprocessor 3-5 via control ASIC 3-2 produces an electric energy in accordance with the print control signal applied, and then sends it to inkhead 4-1 of ink print mechanism 4.
The inkhead 4-1 receiving the electric energy sprays ink so that printing is performed on print media 1. As shown in FIG. 2, inkhead 4-1 sprays ink in the direction of arrow A, and print media I is supplied in the direction of arrow B so that printing is carried out.
A sensor circuit 3-8 detects a signal that senses a paper feeding state or Jam phenomenon in a sensor (not shown) mounted on printer mechanism 4-2 of ink print mechanism 4, and the detection signal is applied to microprocessor 3-5 via control ASIC 3-2.
After receiving the detection signal, the microprocessor 3-5 processes it to generate a print control signal for a succeeding operation or a control signal for indicating Jam. Through this procedure, a user recognizes that a Jam occurs.
A method of setting print media 1 in the inkjet printer is explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3.
As shown in FIG. 3, in printing step S1 the user generates data using the host computer 2 (in FIG. 1), and processes them into print image data. Then, in print media mounting step S2 the print media 1 (in FIG. 2) is placed in the printer.
After print media 1 is inserted, print media 1 is set in print media setting step S3. The user executes a printer driving program in host computer 2 so as to set print media 1 selected according to print image data. In printing condition setting step S4 printing conditions are set in a printer driving program. For instance, they include size of print media 1, printing direction, or automatic or manual print.
After the completion of those conditions, in print starting step S5 the print is started by the instructions from the host computer according to the printing conditions set. When printing starts, print media I is 7 supplied in print media feeding/conveying step S6, and performs printing with the bottom of inkhead 4-1 (in FIG. 2). After this procedure, inkhead 4-1 sprays ink in printing step S7, and thus forms an image on print media 1.
Such a printing job is performed after a printer driving program is executed in the host computer according to the kind of print media, and then it is set. For this reason, in a job that requires a variety of print media such as plain paper, coating paper or transparent film, the print media must be inconveniently set manually.